27/M - Just started Cecchetti ballet

[PerfectFeet]

I've been dancing ballet for about four months now, and I've just come across this seemingly wonderful community of like-minded fans of ballet. If you're even half as friendly as the folks at my fragrance discussion/trading community, than it should do me good will to introduce myself and tell you a bit about me and my involvement with ballet! My name is Chris, by the way

 

In a search for a dance studio that offered break dancing lessons, I quickly began to consider ballet as an option. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was quite well-suited, albeit male and 27, and having never had any professional dance instruction in the past. I'm thin, tall, flexible, and strong, and have an excellent musical sense. I listen to a lot of very talented electronic "composers" (I'd say "electronic music", but I don't want you to think about the whole techno/house music realm) along with a lot of 80's music (breakdance/electro/rap, rock, "hair metal", pop, etc) classical, jazz, and select niches within just about all other musical types, except modern "rap" and country. I'm about six feet tall, and about 170 pounds. I have a vicious metabolism, and I could probably eat 10,000 calories a day if I wanted to...does it sound like I'm bragging? Well, I'm not. Because the other side of this is that I can eat and eat and eat and lift all kinds of weights and still not get any bigger. So I figured I might as well apply myself to something that would fit who I already am, rather than trying to cultivate that body-builder look (which is "so early-nineties" anyway!) I've never let what people might think about me control who I am or what I do. I really pride myself on being unique and eccentric, and "the exception to the rule". However, I do tend to overcomplicate just about everything I do. Ugh.

 

I'm taking Cecchetti grades 2-4 currently, dancing about 3 or 4 days a week. I also do yoga on most off-days. I just got my front splits the other day after only four months! I seem to be progressing quite well, and I intend to take the exam for grade 2 in the spring. I kind of got thrown into the higher-level (3 and 4) classes as a scheduling conflict, but I'm beginning to be able to at least try and mimic most of what the girls are doing...Oh, did I mention that I'm the only male ballet dancer at my studio?! Anyway, I am having trouble with some of the more complicated enchainments. It is really just a matter of learning the steps...so I revisited the manuals that I had originally thought useless (probably because I didn't understand the terminology or how to read them) and now, it seems that it all makes sense. I also take a private lesson once a week, and I had my instructor break a few of them down for me.

 

I hate to admit it, but now I REALLY wish I would have started when I was younger...not really so much because I am having trouble as an adult, but mainly because I wish I would have been enjoying ballet all these years!

[Redbookish]

Welcome to BT4D, PerfectFeet! And welcome to the hobby-turned-almost-obsession of adult ballet. You'll find lots of useful information here, and many like-minded correspondents.

 

If you haven't done so already, you should also pop over to the Men's Forum, for specific advice about men's technique.

 

Mod note: I'm moving this to the Buddy Board, as we try to keep this forum for technical and technique questions.

[Mel Johnson]

Welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers, Chris.

 

I've been following your posts on our sister board, Ballet Talk, and I'm glad you've decided to drop in on us! This is the dancer community, while BT is primarily audience. We can give you a lot of advice here on how to work, and what's what from the doing end of ballet. We have many adult students, so you have a peer group to relate to. Happy to have you onboard!

[dancingjet]

I hate to admit it, but now I REALLY wish I would have started when I was younger...not really so much because I am having trouble as an adult, but mainly because I wish I would have been enjoying ballet all these years!

 

Welcome. I feel the same way, having started ballet at 35.

[spinbug]

Welcome to our group! You sound very enthusiastic about your studies and I can really relate to your desire to learn those combinations. It's nice to hear about another Cecchetti student as I completed my grades up to three and was taking a grade six class with two classes and a private lesson every week when our studio closed. I absolutely love the slow progression that Cecchetti grades take you through so that you learn the technique one building block at a time. I sure miss it.

 

Good luck on your exams and remember to have fun with it. Sometimes exam work can rattle your brain if you take it too seriously and forget to just "dance".

 

Candi

[Laschwen]

Welcome.

I am an older and tall adult student and loving it.

Where were you when I was a high school student and had no male ballet students who were tall enough to look me in the face??? I would still have towered over you en pointe, but at least you outweighed me by 30 lbs.

I had a Ceccheti teacher in high school but it was my phys ed class so I have no idea how our levels corresponded to the real ones. We had tests but thought it was just something the teacher made up to satisfy the school board.

I sort of missed out on learning any partnering......

I hope you get to do some. It sounds like you would be in demand.

 

Welcome Again.

 

Laschwen